The present invention relates generally to valves and more particularly relates to valve arrangements for use in testing fire suppression water sprinkler systems.
In a typical fire suppression water sprinkler system as installed in many buildings, an array of individual water sprinklers is supplied with water through a main conduit and various branch conduits. The individual water sprinklers are generally provided with a member that melts when the ambient temperature reaches a predetermined level indicative of a fire. The melting of the member opens a water sprinkler to spray water in order to suppress the fire. The individual water sprinklers are provided with meltable members so that the spray of water will hopefully be limited to the region of the building where the fire is present. In this way, the extent of water damage may be minimized.
Such fire suppression systems also oftentimes have a switch or sensor that detects the flow of water in the conduits to indicate that even only one of the individual water sprinklers has opened. Since the flow of water in the conduits generally means that a fire is present in the building, the switch or sensor typically triggers a fire alarm or sends an appropriate signal directly to a fire department. Therefore, many codes require, and it is generally otherwise desirable, that the switch or sensor which detects the flow of water in the conduits be periodically tested. Accordingly, it has also become conventional in the art to provide a valve which enables the system to be tested by permitting a flow of water corresponding to the flow through only one individual water sprinkler that has been opened.
Various valves and arrangements for testing and also for draining fire suppression systems are known in the art such as are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,103,862, 4,971,109, 4,995,423, 4,852,610, 4,741,361 all of AGF Manufacturing, Inc. These patents are each incorporated herein by reference.
It is increasingly desirable to provide a pressure relief feature for a fire suppression system with a separate pressure relief valve typically provided for each floor or for each different group of water sprinklers.
In view of the above background information, it is an object of the present invention to provide a testing valve and testing valve arrangement by which a fire suppression system may be tested.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a testing valve and testing valve arrangement by which a fire suppression system may be provided with a pressure relief function economically and efficiently.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a testing valve and testing valve arrangement for a fire suppression system which is economical and easy to operate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve in which flow corresponding to a preselected flow rate may be obtained easily and economically.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a testing valve and testing valve arrangement by which a fire suppression system may be tested with the flow through the valve restricted to correspond to the flow through a single sprinkler head.
The above objects as well as other objects not specifically mentioned are accomplished by a valve arrangement in accordance with the present invention for testing and draining a fire suppression sprinkler system in which a conduit supplies a fire suppression fluid to a plurality of sprinklers with a flow through the conduit being sensed. A valve has a housing with an inlet and a first outlet provided on opposite ends of the housing with a ball valve member being provided in the housing between the inlet and the first outlet. A valve seal is provided between the ball valve member and said first outlet for sealingly engaging the outer surface of said ball valve member. A valve seat is provided between the ball valve member and the inlet to permit continuous communication between the inlet and the interior of the housing. A pressure relief valve has an inlet in communication with the interior of said housing. The ball valve member has a first passageway which permits flow from the inlet to the first outlet at a first flow rate when the first passageway is aligned with the inlet and the first outlet, with the first flow rate enabling the arrangement to be drained. The ball valve member has a second passageway which permits flow from the inlet to the first outlet at a second flow rate which is less than the first flow rate when the second passageway is aligned with the inlet and the first outlet. The second flow rate enables the means for sensing a flow of said fire suppression fluid in said conduit means to be tested. Means are also provided for moving the ball valve member within the housing.
In the preferred embodiment, the valve seat is provided with a gap to provide the communication between the inlet and the interior of the housing. In addition, in the preferred embodiment, the second flow rate corresponds to the flow rate through a single open water sprinkler head.
A valve, according to the present invention, comprises a housing having an inlet and a first outlet being provided on opposite ends of the housing with a valve member being provided in the housing between the inlet and the first outlet. A valve seal is provided between the valve member and said first outlet for sealingly engaging the outer surface of said valve member. A valve seat is provided between the valve member and the inlet to permit continuous communication between the inlet and the interior of the housing. A pressure relief valve has an inlet in communication with the interior of said housing. The valve member has a first passageway which permits flow from the inlet to the first outlet at a first flow rate when the first passageway is aligned with the inlet and the first outlet. The valve member has a second passageway which permits flow from the inlet to the first outlet at a second flow rate which is less than the first flow rate when the second passageway is aligned with the inlet and the first outlet. The valve also includes means for moving said valve member within the housing.
In the preferred embodiment of the arrangement for testing and draining a fire suppression sprinkler system, the valve has valve actuator means for arranging said valve member (1) to prevent flow between said inlet and said first outlet, (2) to permit a flow from the inlet to the first outlet at a first flow rate for draining said arrangement, and (3) to permit a flow rate from the inlet to the first outlet at a second flow rate which is less than the first flow rate. The second flow rate enables the means for sensing a flow of said fire suppression fluid in said conduit means to be tested. In addition, in the preferred embodiment, the valve member is a ball which includes a first passageway through the ball which permits said flow at said first flow rate when said first passageway is aligned with said inlet and said first outlet.
The ball may include a second passageway through said ball which permits said flow at said second flow rate when said second passageway is aligned with said inlet and said first outlet. In another preferred embodiment, the ball includes a disk provided within the first passageway having an opening which permits a flow corresponding to the second flow rate. The disk is movable between a first position in which said disk is aligned with said first passageway and a second position in which said disk blocks said first passageway except for said opening.
Another valve according to the present invention comprises a housing having an inlet and an outlet, with the inlet and the outlet being provided on opposite ends of the housing with a valve member being provided in the housing between the inlet and the outlet. Valve actuator means are provided for arranging said valve member (1) to prevent flow between said inlet and said first outlet, (2) to permit a flow from the inlet to the first outlet at a first flow rate, and (3) to permit a flow rate from the inlet to the first outlet at a second flow rate which is less than the first flow rate. The valve member includes a first passageway through said valve member which permits said flow at said first flow rate when said first passageway is aligned with said inlet and said outlet. The valve member also includes a disk provided within the first passageway with the disk comprising second passageway means for permitting a flow corresponding to the second flow rate.
In the preferred embodiment, the valve member is a ball with the disk being movable between a first position in which said disk is aligned with said first passageway and a second position in which said disk blocks said flow through said first passageway except through said second passageway means.